


You're Cold & I Burn

by LadyLokiLaufeyson



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Lost Love, M/M, Memories, Pining, Regret, Reminiscing, Sad, Summer Romance, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-09-01 13:12:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16765825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLokiLaufeyson/pseuds/LadyLokiLaufeyson
Summary: Albus remembers his and Gellert's lost love as he watches their younger selves in the Mirror of Erised.





	You're Cold & I Burn

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has now been translated into Russian by [Mika_Ami](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mika_Ami/pseuds/Mika_Ami)! Read it [here](https://ficbook.net/readfic/7669273)!

In the years since Gellert Grindelwald became what he is today, Albus Dumbledore had learned to downplay the relationship he’d previously shared with Gellert. Learned it was better to give coy smiles and vague answers rather than let those around him find out the incriminating truth.

He’d came close today, closer to the truth than he’d been in years, while he was being questioned by the Ministry. But his candidness had been thankfully overlooked by men and women too blind to see what was right in front of them. 

Now, Albus looks into the mirror, watching the scene play out in front of him, a sob caught in his throat and tears frozen in his eyes - much like the two young men frozen in time before him.

Albus watches their hands coil together and remembers how they used to dance. Dance in the great ballrooms when no one was watching, their hands clasped together, Gellert ever fanciful in his blue velvet coat - Albus would never forget how it felt underneath his hand as he clasped Gellert’s shoulder as they moved, floating across the floor like two ghosts.

And that’s all they were now.

Ghosts.

Albus remembers how they would laugh and laugh and Gellert would run a wiry hand through Albus’ dark hair - a cold hand would caress his cheek - and Albus would feel like he was home.

He remembers how in love he was that summer, how it was nothing but sunshine and stolen glances, and how everything after that was nothing but cloudy days and wistful longing. 

He remembers Gellert’s anger, he does. Never at Albus, always at something else - the world, the muggles, and eventually Aberforth on that fateful night. He remembers one moment in time, holding Gellert in his arms as he shook, bringing him down from a fit of anger. Albus had been holding Gellert’s head in his hands, and Gellert had turned his head and pressed a chaste kiss into his hand, and Albus knew everything would be okay.

In hindsight, Albus knew he’d been willfully blind to the danger of the other man. There were moments when he could see it, when Gellert’s eyes would flash with just a little too much malice or his magic would be a tinge too dark. But Albus didn’t want to see it. 

So he didn’t.

So he let himself live in those moments, and those moments only. He became entrapped in them, in the balmy nights filled with hazy eyes and smoky lungs and chests pressed to backs. Let himself become caught in the days spent picking each other’s minds and the dialogues on liberation and justice that flowed between them. 

Albus let himself believe he and Gellert would rule the wizarding world, side by side, twin flames. He let himself believe Aberforth would accept Gellert and that Ariana could be accepted into the world just like Gellert said. And perhaps for the first time, Albus had let himself believe in love.

But eventually, the real world caught up to Albus. To Gellert. To the two of them. As it always did.

And in the ashes of their love there was nothing but pain, and a headstone, and worst of all: a promise.

_ I cannot move against Grindelwald.  _

**Author's Note:**

> These two have got me messed up - I really wanted to write a fic exploring their younger days and I hope the movies will go more into that. Feel free to leave kudos/comments! <3


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